Name: Anonymous 2008-11-22 20:09
Been studying various religions for a few years. It first started out as a hobby, but eventually I realized I wasn't spiritually satisfied. Out of all my research, Islam was the only one that made sense to me. I've had a problem with my spirituality since my teen years, and found it hard to cope or understand most religions. So after reading about and studying Islam for a good two years today I finally converted.
It was a pretty amazing experience. Not only were the people at the mosque friendly and just brotherly (I shook the same peoples hands at least 10 times tonight along with a few man-hugs), but just informative in general. I prayed for the first time on my knees tonight, learned the ropes on how to pray, and to be honest...in all my years going to the Christian church I never felt as human or spiritual as I did tonight. Going to the mosque was a great experience and I'm going again tomorrow for second prayer. I plan on making it to the mosque every day this Thanksgiving break. I really love it.
I told the brothers at the mosque that I had two Qur'ans, both who's translations I wasn't particularly satisfied with and they gave me a Qur'an with English, Arabic, AND the English translations of the said Arabic (with correct pronunciation) so I can memorize the Qur'an in Arabic. They gave me this Qur'an...for free, out of their own kindness. After I get home from a night out tonight I'm going to start trying to memorize the first section of The Cow in Arabic which I'm told I should recite every time I pray.
It's nice to say that I don't feel my spiritual journey has ended now that I finally found something that made me feel good and help empower me; on the contrary it feels like it's just beginning.
One thing of note is that when I went to the mosque after converting (my Muslim friend Faizan's father and brother helped with shahadah), and told someone I needed help praying he asked if I had or wanted a Muslim name. He seemed almost offended I declined I refuse to change my name from the name my parents gave me at birth. Maybe I just got him wrong.
Oh well, great experience. For the first time in my life I'm actually excited about something religion-based that doesn't have to do with the studying of it.
It was a pretty amazing experience. Not only were the people at the mosque friendly and just brotherly (I shook the same peoples hands at least 10 times tonight along with a few man-hugs), but just informative in general. I prayed for the first time on my knees tonight, learned the ropes on how to pray, and to be honest...in all my years going to the Christian church I never felt as human or spiritual as I did tonight. Going to the mosque was a great experience and I'm going again tomorrow for second prayer. I plan on making it to the mosque every day this Thanksgiving break. I really love it.
I told the brothers at the mosque that I had two Qur'ans, both who's translations I wasn't particularly satisfied with and they gave me a Qur'an with English, Arabic, AND the English translations of the said Arabic (with correct pronunciation) so I can memorize the Qur'an in Arabic. They gave me this Qur'an...for free, out of their own kindness. After I get home from a night out tonight I'm going to start trying to memorize the first section of The Cow in Arabic which I'm told I should recite every time I pray.
It's nice to say that I don't feel my spiritual journey has ended now that I finally found something that made me feel good and help empower me; on the contrary it feels like it's just beginning.
One thing of note is that when I went to the mosque after converting (my Muslim friend Faizan's father and brother helped with shahadah), and told someone I needed help praying he asked if I had or wanted a Muslim name. He seemed almost offended I declined I refuse to change my name from the name my parents gave me at birth. Maybe I just got him wrong.
Oh well, great experience. For the first time in my life I'm actually excited about something religion-based that doesn't have to do with the studying of it.